Akhenaton was born Philippe Fragione in Marseille in 1968, and spent his youth in Plan-de-Cuques , a small village on the outskirts of the city. His family is of Italian origins. His paternal grandmother, Immacolata Scotti, was of Campanian descent, his great-grandfather Francesco Fragione, emigrated from Sperlonga and on his maternal side a great-great-grandfather, Pierre Malano, emigrated from Porte , a great-great-great-grandfather Barthelemy Gionotti, emigrated from Camporgiano and another great-grandmother Maria Lanzarotti, emigrated from Bedonia . [1] [2] In 1981, he discovered hip hop music and started traveling frequently to New York City where he received the nickname "Chill Phil." At about the same time, back in Marseille, he met Éric Mazel, a DJ who would later be known as " Khéops ". Mazel and Fragione started working together to advance the cause of French hip hop. [ citation needed ]